The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys, and more particularly to a method for cleaning chimneys whereby the dust and smaller particles loosened during the cleaning process are exhausted upwardly through the chimney and out the top of the chimney and to an exhaust blower for accomplishing this purpose.
Chimneys have existed for a long time. Homes were originally heated with fireplaces having chimneys. Cook stoves and modern furnaces also have chimneys. Safety requires chimneys to be cleaned periodically. Heretofore chimney flues and fireboxes were cleaned by brushing the walls thereof and dropping both fine particles and larger particles onto the hearth or the bottom of the firebox, letting the dust settle, and then removing the dust and particles from the firebox. Thus, cleaning chimneys in a home, in the past, has caused a great likelihood of creating a very large mess.
Chimney sweeps of the past have taken considerable amount of effort and time to lay drop cloths and erecting a tent around the opening of a firebox in a home to form an enclosure whereby the fine particles and dust from the chimney cleaning operation remain within the enclosure and do not permeate the home and allow the dust to settle on carpets, furniture and other articles within the home. While using drop cloths and tents, properly, most of the particles and dust can be contained therein and successfully removed to the satisfaction of a home owner; however, the entire procedure involves extreme care to accomplish the desired degree of cleanliness.
When using drop cloths and tents to contain the dust and particles removed from a chimney, the chimney sweep is required to work for extended periods of time within the tent and the dusty atmosphere therein. This requires the chimney sweep to wear protective clothing, utilize breathing apparatus and lights, and to work in an atmosphere in which it can be difficult to see at times because of the dust. Because of the dust within these tent enclosures, chimney sweeps have heretofore been highly susceptible to lung diseases from the inhalation of chimney dust.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys whereby the dust and particulate matter can be controlled in an improved way.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys in which the chimney sweep need not work in a dust laden atmosphere.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys in which the time and cost of laying drop cloths and erecting tents to enclose chimney openings can be completely eliminated.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys in which the chimney sweep need not wear protective clothing or breathing apparatus.
Finally, it is highly desirable to provide an improved method and apparatus for cleaning chimneys which have all of the above features.